Welcome to the Autism Alliance UK’s supporter newsletter.
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Autumn 2026
What is the Autism Alliance UK?
The Autism Alliance UK is the national community of specialist not for profit organisations that support autistic people and their families.
We work together to share our knowledge, skills and experience in ways which can improve outcomes and reduce inequalities for autistic children, young people, and adults.
Our vision is a world where autistic people can thrive and live their lives in their communities.
To achieve this, we work with a wide range of people and organisations to influence Government policy and build a vibrant, supportive community of autism specialist organisations providing services and support.
You can read more about our work here and our members here .
In this newsletter:
Autism Alliance News – an update on the work we have been doing in the past quarter
Autism in the News - a selection of positive recent news stories about autism
Things you can do – information about our members’ toolkits, support, resources and success stories in education
Tell us what you think – share your examples of good practice in education
Autism Alliance News
Here are some of the things we’ve been doing in the past quarter:
We delivered a presentation to members of the Independent Review into Mental Health, ADHD, and Autism on A New Path Ahead, our latest report showing why both access to diagnosis and needs-led support are required. We now await the final report of the Independent Review.
We have continued to develop a new resource on autism specialist organisations in the not for profit sector, showing why these organisations exist, how they work, and the value they provide. This should be available in the autumn.
We submitted a response to the Government’s consultation on SEND reform in England, highlighting the risk that cost control overrides meeting children and young people’s needs, and recommending a stronger focus on inclusive culture across the education sector.
We presented at a national event led by the Department for Education bringing together primary school leaders and practitioners, focusing on the work of autism charities and what education settings can learn from practice in the charity sector.
We hosted our summer meeting for autism charities who are members of the Autism Alliance, hearing from Professor Laura Crane about the work of the Autism Centre for Education and Research at the University of Birmingham, and discussing the development of social enterprises as part of the autism charities’ work.
We hosted a legal education workshop for autism charities and families on SEND, delivered with experts from human rights law firm Rook Irwin Sweeney, and focusing on the importance of ensuring current laws are understood and continue to be applied.
We were proud to be part of a team of individuals and organisations receiving recognition in the 2026 Greater Manchester Good Employment Awards for the development of Bee Neuroinclusive, a neuroinclusion code of practice for employers as part of the GM Good Employment Charter.
We began work to develop a national response from autism charities to the Big Conversation on Care launched by the Independent Commission on Adult Social Care, led by Baroness Louise Casey. This work will continue into the autumn.
Autism in the News
First neurodiversity focused doctoral training programme
A pioneering new £5 million programme aims to transform understanding of neurodiversity and human difference. The Leverhulme Doctoral Scholarships Programme for Neurodiverse Futures is a partnership between Durham University and Kingston University, London.
Working with communities and partner organisations, researchers will explore how different ways of thinking, perceiving and experiencing the world can help address major societal challenges.
Funded through a grant from the Leverhulme Trust over nine years, it is believed to be the first UK programme dedicated specifically to neurodiversity research and researcher training through an interdisciplinary lens.
First of its kind neurodivergent holiday let
The Joseph Cosy was launched by mum-of-two Debra Presley, founder and CEO of Diverse Nation, currently the UK’s only provider focused specifically on across-the-spectrum neurodivergent-friendly accommodation designed for everyone to enjoy. Debra is a neurodivergent chartered psychologist and chartered scientist, and the accommodation has been psychologically and scientifically designed to reduce stress, uncertainty, and sensory overload.
Everything from lighting choices and colour palettes to layout, communication, and guest information has been considered carefully to create an environment that feels safe, predictable and relaxing.
Neurodivergent beauty pageant competitor challenges stereotypes
Isla St John, who is competing as Miss Sussex, said "I want every neurodivergent person to know they deserve a space to be authentically themselves, and that anyone can claim their space on this runway."
Her lived experience of ADHD, autism and ARFID inspired her to launch DivergeDolls, a global platform supporting neurodivergent girls and women. The platform provides mental health resources, friendship and community, with the aim of ensuring that every neurodivergent woman or girl feels seen and valued.
Expanding supported internships for young people with SEND
Alan Milburn says the UK has to move away from the idea that people with a diagnosis are unable to work. They can work, he said. “The question is: are the opportunities there and is the support there? Supported internships have got such an effective track record. With the best ones around 70% of the people on them end up in paid employment. In my view we have to turbocharge support – and at the moment the system is not set up to do that.”
Milburn dismissed “myths” about 18- to 24-year-olds being a “snowflake generation”, saying: “The problem isn’t shortage of effort on the part of young people. It’s a shortage of opportunities, jobs, support.”
TV’s Neurodivergent Casting Reckoning
Television’s portrayal of neurodivergence has long suffered from a persistent blind spot. By casting neurotypical actors to play stereotypical — and often heavily coded yet undiagnosed — white male savant archetypes, Hollywood built a rigid standard that has largely erased women, people of colour and the broader diversity of real-world neurodivergent experiences.
“When you lump all neurodivergent perspectives into the same story — like ADHD, dyslexic and autistic adults — without showing the difference in lived experiences, people start to assume that they’re all the same,” says Tal Anderson, a first-time Emmy nominee for The Pitt. “People start to think that autistic people are all low-support needs if that’s all they see onscreen. When that happens, an entire half the autistic community is left out of the conversation and, long-term, that’s really damaging for all of us.”
Norfolk driving school leads way with neurodiversity training
KSM Driving Tuition has become what it believes is the first in the county to have its entire team trained to teach neurodivergent learners.
Owner and mother-of-two Kylie Oliver-Eames said she was determined to make lessons more inclusive after seeing increasing numbers of neurodivergent pupils. "We see pupils with autism, ADHD, dyslexia and other additional needs, and I realised that being a good driving instructor isn't always enough. We need to understand how that individual person learns.”
Things you can do
As parents and schools prepare for the SEND reforms which promise to “spot and respond to children's needs earlier” with “every child achieving and thriving”, it is more important than ever to be aware of the rights and expectations children and young people have in their educational settings. Here we round up some of our members’ advice, support, good practice and resources in education.
Ambitious About Autism’s website includes a comprehensive guide to the various education pathways available to autistic children. These include information on choosing the right setting, early years provision, support while in school, and what to expect in further education.
Autism Anglia’s Resource Hub covers a comprehensive range of life stages, including a section on education; this features practical tips on school avoidance as well as insights into why this may happen. There is also a guide on choosing the right school for your autistic child.
NE Autism Society offer a range of educational settings across all ages and, crucially, a supported pathway from education into employment. Their Growing Futures programme sets out an inclusive and proven approach, inviting organisations to join them in their vision.
NEAS also offer a student mentoring service providing one to one study skills support for university and college students.
Offering support, advice and training to children, young people, adults and carers, Northern Ireland’s longest serving autism charity, Autism NI includes an extensive amount of information on their website. This includes factsheets to guide you through legislation relating to education, help on school selection, and information on home education.
Founded by parents over 50 years ago, Scottish Autism is Scotland’s leading autism charity with over 1,000 staff now supporting families across the country.
You can access advice on your legal rights and responsibilities during your child’s education with a comprehensive and accessible breakdown of the laws and regulations you need to know via their advice pages, as well as helpful pathways to guide you through school transition.
Autism Initiatives outreach service OSSME (Outreach Services Supporting Mainstream Education) has been offering support to schools and families in England for over 25 years. They provide a range of tools including, curriculum support, social and life skills training, diagnostic explanation, training and engagement for those at risk of exclusion.
Autism Unlimited have been supporting families for over 50 years across the south of England. Among their comprehensive services, which include Portfield School and Sixth Form, Autism Unlimited offer both online and face-to-face training for those working in education settings. The aim of the training is to empower staff and to strengthen their knowledge and understanding of autism so students can reach their full potential and build confidence.
Prior’s Court holds an Ofsted outstanding rating for both its education and residential settings. Supporting autistic young people with complex needs from age 5 to 25, Prior’s Court prides itself on person centred support so each student can realise their potential.
Here you can read some of the stories of Prior’s Court students, where the value of connection with their dedicated staff means everything.
Remarkable’s mission to push the boundaries for autistic young people is at the heart of their award winning school, college and therapy centre. Striving for the best possible outcomes through their extensive community partnerships, learning hubs and emotional resilience curriculum, you can read inspiring news from Wargrave House School and find out more about Ascent College and Sundial Therapy at the links below.
Tell us what you think
Educational Good Practice
For autistic children and young people, education can present overwhelming and sometimes, insurmountable barriers. Coupled with a lack of clarity and commitment in government, it can often feel like a fight for parents and carers to receive the most fundamental provision.
Recognising this, we want to hear your examples of what has worked so that we can continue to support, champion and call for best practice for every autistic child and young person.
We know that the education system is full of dedicated, passionate and intelligent staff and volunteers who deserve recognition, so if you would like, please share with us some of your success stories below.
It’s best to avoid including individuals’ names, but any personal data will be processed in line with our privacy notice.
A final word
We hope you enjoyed reading this newsletter. We’ll send out a new edition every quarter, keeping you updated on our work, but if you’d prefer not to hear from us again, you can unsubscribe here.
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